Grounded in the social constructivism tradition, this study examined the role of communication in the glocalization and acculturation of HIV/AIDS by a section of sexually active Ugandans then living in Rakai district during the advent of the epidemic in 1982. Sixty-four women and men participated in ten focus group discussions in Rakai and Kampala districts. Five themes emerged from the data highlighting how individuals and communities made sense of the epidemic, the omnipresence of death, how they understood the HIV/AIDS campaign, and how they are currently coping with its backlash. The study concludes that HIV/AIDS is socially constructed and can be understood better from local perspectives rather than from a globalized view. The study emphasizes the integration of cultural idiosyncrasies in any health communication campaigns to realize behavioral change.

Uganda has experienced the largest decline of HIV prevalence of any country in the world, from a peak of 15% in 1991 to 5% today. In cooperation with community-based and faith-based organizations, the Ugandan government has pursued an AIDS prevention strategy centered on urging people to Abstain from sex, Be faithful to one partner, or use Condoms (the so-called ABC model). It is believed that the large drop in AIDS prevalence has been due to behavior change, especially reduction of number of sexual partners among adults and abstinence and delayed sexual debut among youth. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative investigation of Ugandan adolescent's attitudes and values towards relationships and sexuality, and the ways in which their social environment sends messages and creates perceived norms which shape sexual behavior, especially the behavior of abstinence. Focus groups were conducted with youth between the ages of 13 and 16 years in the districts of Soroti and Masaka. Youth discussed reasons for having relationships, both platonic and sexual; the benefits and risks of relationships; the proper age for boys and girls to initiate sexual relationships; messages they have received regarding sexuality and perceptions of family, peer, and community norms; and values regarding ideal sexual behavior. Youth expressed that the right age to begin having sex is 18 years and above, so that sex does not interfere with education and cause other adverse consequences such as early pregnancy, family strife, and infection with HIV/AIDS. / Graduation date: 2005